Film wrapping or packaging machine apparatus, wherein the apparatus or machines are provided with mechanisms which enable or facilitate plastic film or material to be wrapped around articles to be packaged, are of course well-known. Examples of such known apparatus or machines are disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,691 which issued to Turfan et al. on Aug. 4, 1998, U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,807 which issued to Morantz on May 21, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,796 which issued to Haloila on May 13, 1986. A well-known conventional film wrapping packaging machine is also illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, and it will be appreciated that all of these machines or apparatus are provided with or comprise substantially similar operating components. In connection with the machine or apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, for example, a detailed description of the same will be omitted and the same will only be briefly described with respect to the major or primary operative components thereof so as to simply provide an overview of the operation thereof, and further in view of the fact that such major or primary operative components thereof do not comprise any part of the present invention except as will be specifically noted hereinafter.
More particularly, the film wrapping packaging machine illustrated in FIG. 1 is generally indicated by the reference character 10 and is seen to comprise a four-post upstanding framework 12 through which extends a conveyor 14 for transporting articles to be wrapped or packaged to a wrapping station 16 which is located substantially at the center of the region or boundary area peripherally defined by the upstanding posts of the framework 12. An upper frame member 18, which is vertically movable in a reciprocating manner with respect to the framework 12, rotatably supports a ring or circular track member 20 upon which is mounted a plastic film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22 which includes a roll 24 of plastic wrapping film. Consequently, when the upper frame member 18 is moved in vertically upward and downward directions, and the ring or track member 20 is rotated with respect to the vertically movable upper frame member 18, film from the film roll 24 mounted upon the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22 can be withdrawn therefrom and applied to articles to be wrapped which are disposed or located at the wrapping station 16.
With reference now being made to FIGS. 2-4, particular details of the conventional film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22, as they bear upon the development and improved nature of the present invention, will now be described. The film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22 conventionally includes a plurality of film tensioning rollers or similar mechanisms 26 for providing the plastic wrapping film with the proper tension as the same is withdrawn from the roll 24 of plastic film such that the plastic wrapping film can be applied to the articles to be wrapped with a predetermined, proper, or desired amount of tension. In order to facilitate or enable the easy replacement or replenishment of a particular roll 24 of plastic film with a new roll 24 of plastic film when an original roll 24 of plastic film is depleted, it is also conventional to mount the roll 24 of plastic film upon a pivotable mounting assembly or framework which is mounted upon the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22 such that the roll 24 of plastic film is movable between two positions, that is, a first operative position at which the axis of the film roll 24 is substantially vertical whereby the plastic film can be withdrawn from the roll 24 of plastic film during operation of the wrapping machine or apparatus so as to wrap the articles to be packaged, and a second position at which the axis of the film roll 24 is tilted or inclined with respect to the first vertical position such that film rolls 24 may be easily mounted upon and removed from the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22 when replacement or exchange of film rolls 24 is to be achieved.
More particularly, the pivotable mounting assembly or framework for the roll 24 of plastic wrapping material is seen to comprise, as best seen in FIG. 2, a first inner frame member 28, and a second outer frame member 30. The lower ends of the inner and outer frame members 28,30 are interconnected by means of a base member 32, and a film roll support spindle 34 projects upwardly from the base 32 so as to mount the film roll 24 thereon as a result of the spindle 34 being axially inserted within the core member 36 of the film roll 24 as seen in FIG. 3. The inner frame member 28 of the film roll mounting assembly or framework is seen to be pivotally mounted upon a vertically extending inner frame member 38 which is rigidly connected to or an integral part of the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22, and the outer frame member 30 of the film roll mounting assembly or framework is seen to be pivotally mounted upon an outer frame member 40 of the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22 wherein the outer frame member 40 depends vertically downwardly from an upper transverse frame member, not shown, which is connected to the inner frame member 38 of the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22. In this manner, the outer frame member 40 of the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22 is seen to be disposed in a substantially cantilevered manner with respect to the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22 whereby the lower end of the outer frame member 40 of the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22 is not fixedly or rigidly supported with respect to the assembly or framework 22. While this mounting system for the film roll 24 is obviously operative, and the entire film wrapping or packaging machine 10 has been enormously commercially successful, it has been determined that as a result of the aforenoted cantilevered, non-rigid disposition of the outer frame member 40 of the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly 22, the film roll mounting assembly or framework is able to vibrate during, for example, film payout from the film roll 24 during a winding or packaging operation. Such vibrations can lead to improper film payout, improper tension values within the wrapping film being dispensed, and cracking or excessive wear of the film roll mounting assembly or framework.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved film roll mounting assembly or framework which, in effect, provides for the fixed or rigid mounting of the film roll mounting assembly or framework upon the film roll mounting and dispensing assembly whereby the aforenoted vibrational problems or drawbacks characteristic of the conventionally known film roll mounting assemblies or framework systems can be substantially eliminated or significantly reduced. As a result, improved film payout and improved or more accurate tension values within the dispensed wrapping film, while a simultaneous reduction in the amount of wear upon the film roll mounting assembly or framework, can be achieved.